Marcelino Coache Verano, political activist and his family, including son, Edgar Coache Verano - aged about 15

On 20 March, Edgar Coache Verano, the son of a prominent political activist, was threatened and intimidated by a group of men in Oaxaca State. This follows the brief abduction and torture of his father Marcelino Coache on 4 March. Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Marcelino Coache, Edgar Coache and their family.

As Edgar Coache and a friend left school on 20 March, they were heading towards Edgar Coache's home. He had just walked past a group of twelve young men standing on the street corner, next to a white van without a number plate, when one of the men shouted his surname "Coache." Edgar Coache looked back and saw that the men were laughing at him so he increased the pace at which he was walking away from them. The men then got into the van and caught up with Edgar. From the van one of the men shouted at Edgar Coache "we warned your father, we know where you are. We're talking to you son of a bitch" (se lo advertimos a tu padre, ya sabemos donde estas. A ti te estamos hablando, perro maldito). The men continued to follow Edgar Coache in their van until he arrived at a crowded shopping area and they then drove off.

On 4 March, Marcelino Coache, a leading member of the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca, APPO), was abducted by three men, one of whom wore a blue uniform, in Oaxaca City. The men punched and hit him repeatedly with the butt of a gun and burned him with cigarettes around his nipples and genitals for several hours. He was released the following morning. Marcelino Coache fears for the safety of himself and his family. A local human rights organization has sent his case details to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to apply for protection measures.

Marcelino Coache has experienced several serious incidents, including threats and physical attacks. In August 2008, his son received a phone call saying "we're going to smash your father's head in" (le vamos a romper la madre a tu papa). In January 2008, a man attempted to stab him in the abdomen as he was getting out of his car, but only caused a superficial wound and in August 2007, he was struck with a gun and had his face held to the ground by a policeman who told him to stop being a rebel (ya parale de revoltoso).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In June 2006, widespread protests erupted in the state of Oaxaca, led by APPO, in an unsuccessful campaign to force the state governor to resign. At least 18 civilians were reportedly killed during the conflict; at least 370 were injured and 349 were arrested. There were widespread reports of excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, torture and fabrication of criminal charges against protesters. In July 2007 there were further violent clashes between police and protestors that resulted in more than 40 people detained and scores injured. Federal, state and municipal authorities responsible for abuses have not been held to account. While the political violence has declined, tensions remain high. Human rights organizations continue to campaign for justice in relation to human rights violations.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- urging the authorities to ensure that Marcelino Coache, Edgar Coache and their family are given appropriate protection in accordance with their wishes, following the abduction and torture of Marcelino Coache on 4 March and subsequent threats to Edgar Coache on 20 March;
- calling on the authorities to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the abduction and torture of Marcelino Coache Verano, to establish whether security officials were involved, and to bring those responsible to account.

APPEALS TO:

Attorney General of the Republic
Lic. Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
Procuraduria General de la Republica
Av. Paseo de la Reforma nº 211-213, Piso 16
Col. Cuauhtemoc, Delegacion Cuauhtemoc
Mexico D.F., C.P. 06500
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5346 0908
Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Senor Procurador General

Minister of Interior
Lic. Fernando Francisco Gomez-Mont Urueta
Secretaria de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso
Col. Juarez, Del. Cuauhtemoc
Mexico D.F., C.P.06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5093 3414
E-mail: secretario@segob. gob.mx
Salutation: Senor Secretario/Dear Minister

Governor of Oaxaca
Lic. Ulises Ruiz Ortiz
Gobernador del Estado de Oaxaca
Carretera Oaxaca-Puerto Angel, Km. 9.5, Santa Maria
Coyotepec
Oaxaca C.P. 71254, Oaxaca
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 95 1517 5890
E-mail: gobernador@oaxaca. gob.mx

COPIES TO:

Human Rights Organization
Centro de Derechos Humanos "Bartolome Carrasco Briseno"
Mariano Azuela 203, Col. Jose Vasconcelos
Oaxaca
MEXICO
Email: barcadh@prodigy. net.mx

Oaxaca State Human Rights Commission
Comision de Derechos Humanos de Oaxaca
Calle de los Derechos Humanos no. 210
C.P. 68050, Oaxaca
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 95 1503 0220 (if a voice answers, ask "me da tono de fax, por favor")
E-mail: correo@cedhoax. org

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexembusa@sre. gob.mx


PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
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